Dub War "Westgate Under Fire"
Made up of Benjii Webbe (Skindred), Richie Glover, and Jeff Rose, the album sees the band return at their inimitable best and features a host of estimable guest musicians including: Stone Sour's Roy Mayorga, Faith No More's Mike Bordin, Snot's Mikey Doling and Jamie Miller, In Flames' Tanner Wayne, Ill Niño's Dave Chavarri, Killing Joke's Spike T Smith, alongside the late ska legend Ranking Roger.
Speaking on the mid-week position the band says: "We are so grateful to currently be sitting at #12 in the mid-week UK Top 40 Albums chart! It’s amazing to see a Dub War album sandwiched between Elvis Presley and George Ezra in the chart. We want to thank everyone who’s supported ‘Westgate Under Fire’ - for your arms to still be open to a new Dub War album after over 25 years has meant a lot to us. Let’s hope Friday will bring us our first ever UK Top 40!”
Ahead of the album's release, Dub War shared a number of singles including: "Coffin Lid", "Fun Done", and prog-infused track "Get Back Up" which featured Faith No More drummer Mike Bordin - who has also played alongside the likes of Ozzy Osbourne, Black Sabbath, and Korn - on intricate yet powerful drumming duties. They also recently shared a hip-hop influenced metal track "Vibes In The Place", which saw fellow Newport resident and good friend of the band Mikee “KRUPA” Gregory on drums. The band also shared a rousing ragga-punk cover of the Max Romeo and the Upsetters' classic “War Inna Babylon” earlier this year, which featured guest vocals from the legendaryRanking Roger of The Beat in his last ever recording before his sad passing in 2019.
Dub War announced their return in March with a single titled "Blackkk Man". Released in the midst of the celebration of Black History Month in the US last month, “Blackkk Man” is a furious revolt against racism and a bleak reflection of crucial events from this decade in particular, including the murder of George Floyd. The accompanying lyric video, compiled and edited by Aran Webster, serves to drive the critical message contained in the lyricism of “Blackkk Man” further, putting society's outrageous double standards in plain sight via news footage and articles.
“Blackkk Man” and their latest singles launch Dub War back into the industry as the band who turned heads with their groundbreaking genre-bending once more. Alongside these potent punk rock-laced track, 'Westgate Under Fire' offers up dance infused metal, ragga-punk and sinister metal with exotic beats.
A band born and raised in Newport, 'Westgate Under Fire' shines a light on a crucial event in their hometown's history, the Newport Uprising. An event which would play a role in transforming democracy in Britain and the world, the uprising in 1839 saw thousands from the Chartist movement march through south Wales, seeking social reform, including the right for men of all classes to vote. The marches ended in a bloody battle at the Westgate Hotel, which saw many of the Chartists dead or wounded. 'Westgate Under Fire' aims to embody the empowerment that Chartists took upon themselves and coincides with the local community resurrecting the derelict Westgate Hotel into an exciting new venue.
